Promoting its use of area suppliers helps keep burger giant above U.S.-Kremlin tensions

MOSCOW—McDonald’s Corp. became a leading ambassador of American culture after opening its first restaurant here in the twilight of the Soviet Union. Now, as Russia-U.S. tensions rise and pro-Kremlin politicians call repeatedly to close the U.S. chain, management is taking a new tack: Go Russian.

Earlier this year, the company boosted the share of Russian suppliers its restaurants use to 98%, and it has embarked on a marketing campaign to drive home the point that in Russia McDonald’s doesn’t have to be an American company.